SAN DIEGO, July 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Cox Communications in partnership with The Trust for Public Land (TPL), launched the 4th annual Cox Conserves Heroes-San Diego awards.

Sponsored locally by Think Blue San Diego and radio partners KYXY 96.5 and Energy 103.7 FM, nominations are open for volunteers who are helping to create, preserve or enhance our shared outdoor spaces. Nominee activities must be performed on a volunteer basis and may not be part of one's employment. Nominations will be accepted through July 27.

A judging panel comprised of local civic and environmental leaders selects three finalists who then compete to be named San Diego's 2012 Cox Conserves Hero. A total of $8,500 will be awarded to the finalists' nonprofits of choice.

Prize Packages:

San Diego's Cox Conserves Hero: The winner's nonprofit of choice will receive $5,000, promotions through on-air public service announcements and 20 volunteer hours donated by Cox employees.

Second Place: The finalist's nonprofit of choice will receive $2,500 and promotions through on-air public service announcements.

Third Place: The finalist's nonprofit of choice will receive $1,000 and promotions through on-air public service announcements.

About Cox ConservesThe Cox Conserves Heroes program was created through a partnership between The Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national nonprofit land conservation organization that conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens and natural areas, and Cox Enterprises, a leading communications, media and automotive services company. The program also takes place in Atlanta, Arizona, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Seattle and Virginia.

About The Trust for Public LandThe Trust for Public Land conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens, and other natural places, ensuring livable communities for generations to come. Since 1972, The Trust for Public Land has completed 5,200 park and conservation projects, conserved more than 3 million acres, and helped generate $33 billion in state and local conservation funding. www.tpl.org.

About Think Blue San Diego Think Blue is the City of San Diego's award winning Storm Water outreach program. Started in 1999 as part of the Clean Water Task Force, Think Blue provides education to residents, businesses and visitors about steps that they can take to prevent storm drain pollution, and protect our local waterways in San Diego. When it rains or when water flows out of yards, water that enters the storm drain system flows directly into our creeks, rivers, bays, beaches and ultimately the ocean. The water that enters the storm drain system is untreated because the City storm drain system and sewer system are NOT connected. Contaminants that flow into the storm drain, such as pesticides, pet waste, trash and automobile fluids, are harmful to our health and can impact local marine life. Think Blue encourages everyone to help prevent pollution by adopting a few simple practices. To learn how, please visit http://www.thinkblue.org/.